Horizontal induction heating scanner machine



June 30, 1953 w. L. CORTEGGIANO ETAL 2,644,074

HORIZONTAL INDUCTION HEATING SCANNER MACHINE Filed July 15, 1949 sSheets-Sheet 1 WITNNESSES': INVENTORS William L. Corfeggiono m andTheodore P. Kinn.

June 30, 1953 w. L. CORTEGGIANO ET AL 2,644,074

HORIZONTAL INDUCTION HEATING SCANNER MACHINE Filed July 15, 1949 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2a

Insulation WITNESSES: INVENTORS William L.Corteggiono- 0n%YTheodore P.Kinn.

% W /3.L ATTORNEY June 30, 1953 w. L. CORTEGGIANO ETAL 4, 7

HORIZONTAL INDUCTION HEATING SCANNER MACHINE Filed July 15, 1949 sSheets-Sheet s WlTNESSES: so? 9 w" INVENTORS ,7, i ium L. Ccrteggiono504 0nd Theodore P. Kim. 1 Lu BY f ,5 A V 1L2, M- .flm' W ATTORNEY311118 9 1953 w. L. CORTEGGIANO ET AL 2,644,074

HORIZONTAL INDUCTION HEATING SCANNER MACHINE Filed July 15,, 1949 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.8. i56

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36 IW Q I 1 Fig.9. WHTNESSES: v EH26 WM lI I\IVCIIENTORS 1 10morieggluno awwkim idwm and Theodore J. Kim. w i I I ATTORNEY PatentedJune 30, 1953 HORIZONTAL INDUCTION HEATING SCANNER MACHINE William L.Corteggiano and Theodore P. Kinn,

Baltimore, Md.,

assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Application July 15, 1949, Serial No.104,942

6 Claims. 1

Broadly, this invention is directed to equipment for an inductionheating machine which is adapted to heat-treat short round bars, rodsand similar workpieces successively passed end to end through themachine. A complete machine of this type is described and claimed in theconcurrently-filed application of W. L. Corteggiano, M. P. Vore and J.M. Edwards, Serial No. 104,944. Such a machine is adapted to bedifferently set up for treating different batches of workpieces, theworkpieces of a batch being interchangeably alike but different in shapeor size or both from. those of another batch. The present application isdirected to a scanner machine portion of such a machine, but thisscanner machine portion can be otherwise used for induction heatingpurposes.

An object of our invention is to provide a rugged and foolproofinduction heating scanner machine in which a plurality of workpieces canbe successively heat-treated in a continuous process that minimizeshandling of the workpieces so that the machine can be operated byunskilled labor and with a minimum of attention.

The specific scanner machine portion described in the instantapplication comprises esentially a mechanical mechanism adapted toreceive a plurality of workpieces and force them, one at a time, throughan induction heating and quenching heat-treater means properly arrangedin the scanner machine. Briefly, the induction heating scanner machinecomprises a main elongated bedplate horizontally supported by anunderneath structure of any suitable kind, the bedplate beingsubstantial and substantially supported. The bedplate carries,successively in the line of travel of the workpieces, a feeder item, aheadstock, a heat-treater unit, and a tailstock. There is awork-carrying feed-in guide for workpieces fed to the heat-treater, anda work-receiving feed-out guide for heat-treated workpieces. Theheat-treated workpieces leaving the feed-out guide may be delivered toany suitable hopper or other work-receiving device. The parts are soconstructed and arranged as to minimize the possibility of theworkpieces jamming as they move axially, or in the direction of theirlengths, through the scanner machine.

An important feature of our invention is to provide a scanner machine ofthe type described having the aforesaid parts arranged as separate itemson the common elongated bedplate so that they can be easily adjusted andaligned so that different batches of workpieces can be made to passconcentrically through the induction heating and quenching means, butout of contact therewith, while moving in a horizontal travel path.

A broad object of our invention is to provide an induction heatingscanner machine in which the workpieces are successively fed through themachine for heat-treatment as they travel along i a path which isgenerally horizontal as distinguished from sloped travel of the priorart. The machine comprises a feeder which forces the workpieces end toend through the machine. Preferably, the feeder is adjustable and ismotor driven at a controllable speed so that the worka work-feedingheadstock and a work-receiving tailstock, for rotating the workpieces asthey pass through the induction heating and quenching means; the feederand the rotating means being separately controllable for separatelycontrolling the rates at which the workpieces move axially and at whichthey rotate about their axes.

A feature of our invention is to provide a scanner machine of the typedescribed so constructed as to accessibly support its induction heatingand quenching unit so that the latter can be easily interchanged withother similar units. To this end, the machine carries a pair of terminalstructures to which a source of high frequency can be terminallyconnected. The terminal structures are adapted to reinovably receive theinduction heating and quenching unit and are adapted to be electricallyconnected to the induction heating coil thereof.

Our invention has numerous features, innovations and objects in additionto the foregoing which should be discernible from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment thereof. The description is to betaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in some figures ofwhich some details have been omitted for clarity. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an induction heating machine in which ourinduction heating scanner machine has been incorporated;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of an induction heating scanner machine inaccordance with our invention and comprises a portion of the machineshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical view substantially on the line III-III of Figs. 1and 2 for illustrating the feeder item of our invention, with a part insection;

Fig. 4. is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line IV1V ofFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line VV of Fig.a;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line VI--Vl ofFig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View of a headstock of our inventiontaken substantially on the line VII-VII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a vertical central sectional view taken substantially on theline VlII--VlII of Fig. 7;

Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical sectional views taken, respectively,substantially on the lines Iii-12; and X--X of Figs. '7 and 8;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view substantially on the line XI-XI of Figs. 2and 12, showing a part of the terminal structure carried by the machine;

Fig. 12 is a vertical view partly in elevation and partly in sectionsubstantially on the line XlI- XII of Fig, 11 for showing the inductionheating and quenching unit of the machine supported by the terminalstructure; and

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line XITI -rIII of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, an induction heat- 111g machine in accordancewith the aforesai' patent application, Serial No. 104,944 comprises ahigh-frequency generator 2 that has energizing conductors passingthrough a protective casing i to a current transformer e that may be apart of the scanner machine 3, shown in elevation in 2. Workpieces to becase hardened or otherwis" heat-treated can be fed to the scannermachine from a loader portion [in described in greater detail in theaforesaid application. The loader portion IE1 comprises a belt-conveyorl2 which continually feeds workpieces in single file to feed-in guide 13of the scanner machine ii.

the scanner machine 8 comprises an undei structure in the form of atable indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral M. The tablecomprises a plurality of deep-section, longitudinal and lateral steelstructural members If forming an open framework with an open top :3 onwhich a bedplate 2B is solidly secured. Preferably. the table is made oftruss construction to elimi nate the possibility of sway or otherdisplacement.

A. feeder item indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 22 isarranged at the feed end of the work-receiving feed in guide it.Powerdriven feeder rollers in the feeder 22 supply a positive drive topropel the train of workpieces to a headstock indicated in its entiretyby the refer-- ence numeral 24. The headstock 2d guides the workpiecesto an induction heating and quenching heat treater unit indicated in itsentirety by the reference numeral 26; the headstock 24 being providedwith a roller means for imparting a rotary motion to each workpiece asit enters the induction heating and quenching means 2%. As the leadingend of each workpiece emerges from the heat-treating means 213, itenters a tailstock which is generally similar to the headstock 24 and isindicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 28. At the feed-in orWork-entering end of the tailstock 23, roller means are provided thatcontinue the rotation of the workpieces, and support and guide themafter they leave the head-- stock 24 and during the time they are insidethe heat-treater means 26. The heat-treated workpieces then pass to awork-receiving feed-out guide and are delivered to a chute, hopper orwork-receiving means 30 where they may be col lected or may be passed tofurther handling means if desired.

An important feature of our invention is the arrangement of theaforesaid parts so that the workpieces constantly move generallyhorizontally through the scanner machine end to end, with the workpiecein the heat-treater unit '25 rotating without causing jamming orbuckling of the line of travelling workpieces. To this end, specialattention is given to assuring adjustment and alignment of the parts ofthe scanner machine. The bedplate 29 is made of heavy steel plate, andits top surface is provided with a carefully machined positioning rail32 extending lengthwise along one side of the bedpla-te and with acarefully machined rest rail 3:3 along the other side of the bedplate.In operating position of the scanner machine, the bedplate is solidlysupported with its rails 32 and 33 level in lengthwise direction. Thepositioning rail 32 is preferably of an inverted V-shape incross-section, while the top of the rest rail 34 is flat.

The feeder unit 22 comprises a base plate 49 having an inverted V-shapedgroove along a side of its bottom that mates the positioning rail 32,and a fiat surface along its other side that res s on the rest rail 33.The base :plate 4i! carries four machined upright sockets 42 in each ofwhich finished vertical posts 44 are secured. The base plate 40 also hasa short jackscrew arrangement 46. The posts 44 adjustably receive alower care fully-machined guide-supporting plate it and an upper roliersupporting plate 56. The lower supporting plate 43 is provided with adepending socket 52 that fits the adjusting post of the jackscrew 45.

the corners of each plate 48 and 50 are split and are provided withsplit guides 56 by means of which they are tightly clamped, aftervertical adjustment, to the posts M through clamping bolts and nuts 58that pull the split portions together in the common manner whentightened and permit them to spread when loosened.

The lower plate 48 is also carefully machined and carries the feed-inguide It. The feed-in guide comprises an elongated bar til that issecured to the top of the lower plate 48 through bolts 62. The uppersurface of the bar has a V-trough 54. In a working embodiment suhsequen-tly referred to, the trough t4 was a 1.20 (18- gree angle with itssides 60 degrees from a vertical line through the apex of the trough.

The upper plate {it of the feeder 22 carries a pair of workpiece pushingor moving means 63 and it, the former being the feed-in end of thefeeder 2'12. 'lhese pushing means 88 and "H3 force the workpiecesthrough the scanner machine. 'lhe pushing means and iii comprise rubberor rubber faced rollers and it respectively, directly over the trough64. Each roller is supported so as to be able to exert an adjustableforce and pressure on a workpiece it contacts.

To this end, each of the pushing means '68 and ill supports itsassociated roller in the same general manner so that a description ofone will suffice for the other. The pushing means 68 comprises a yokerotatably supporting a shaft 82 which is perpendicular to the line oftravel of the workpieces and which has secured thereto the roller 12.Extending upwardly from the yoke '80 is a stem 85 slidably held in acylinder 88 which is part of or unitary with the upper plate 50. Thestem 88 is shaped to receive a compression spring 99. The upper end ofthe stem 86 is threaded and receives adjusting nuts 92 that bear on acap 94 adjustably screwed on the top of the cylinder 88.

In setting up the feeder item 22 for operation, the jackscrew All isused to bring the lower plate 58 to a suitable level. This places theguide it ho 'izontal. The upper plate 59 is then lowered until therollers 12 and M press on a workpiece W thereunder with a suitablepressure. The cap screw B l is then loosened so that the pressure itexerts on a workpiece is decreased, and the roller '54 of the pushermeans it supplies the primary driving force for moving the train ofworkpieces through the scanner. Consequently, no fine adjustment, suchas provided by a cap screw, is necessary for the pusher means It. Bytrial and error, the feeder can be adjusted so as to linearly slideworkpieces along the guide I3 at a desired speed.

Th shafts at for the rollers I2 and M of the pushing means 58 and iiiare driven by a motor driving an adjustable speed reducer 98 which isgeared, by belting, sprocket, or similar means to a pulley or sprocketwheel loo secured to an extension m2 of the shaft 82 of the pushingmeans is. The shafts 82 of the rollers l2 and M have pulleys or sprocketwheels IM- and 1%, respectively, on their ends opposite to the drivewheel its. These wheels HM and 106 are interconnected by a drive belt orsprocket am so that the rotation of the shaft 82 with the roller "illcauses rotation of the shaft 82 with the roller '32 in the samedirection. However, the wheel Hi l has a diameter slightly smaller thanthe wheel its, so that the roller 12 has a higher linear speed than theroller i l.

Spaced between the rollers 12 and M is a set of vertically adjustableidler positioning rollers lilo (not indicated in Fig. 4) which aredependently resiliently carried in the upper plate 58.

In the operation of the apparatus thus far described, workpieces are fedsubstantially end to end from the conveyor E2 of the loader portion Itto the work-receiving guide is from which the workpieces pass one afterthe other to the feeder 22. The conveyor belt l2 runs at a slightlyfaster rate than the progression of the train of workpieces through thescanner machine so as to keep the workpieces in end to end contact.Because the longitudinal driving force of the conveyor 52 is small, thepressure of the first pushing means $8 on the workpieces must also belight so as not to prevent the workpieces from entering the limitedspace below it. Consequently the roller E2 of the pushing means 58exerts relatively little pressure on a workpiece, and imparts only asmall minor part of forward motion to it. However, because of thesmaller diameter or" the drive wheel its as compared to that or" thedrive wheel Hit, the surface or the roller 72 of the pushing means 258has a higher linear speed than that of the roller id of the pushingmeans l3, and further assures end to end contact of the workpieces. Theroller 1% of the pushing means Hi provides most of the force whichpropels the line of workpieces from the feeder 22 through the rest ofthe scanner machine. Workpieces leaving the feeder item 22 pass end toend along the guide iii to the headstock 24.

The headstock Z4 is substantially the same as 6 the tailstock 28 so thata description of the details of one should suffice for both.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 5 through 9, the headstock 24 comprises a baseplate HO, one side of the lower surface of which is provided with aninverted V-groove H2 that extends longitudinally of the bedplate 2t andfits on the positioning rail 32. The other side of the base plate isfinished to rest on the rest rail 35 of the bedplate 28. The headstockalso comprises a face plate H4 that extends upwardly from the work-exitedge of the base plate 5 Hi, and web or side plates H8 and H3. The webplate H8 is provided with a hole through which a power-driven belt isadapted to pass for a purpose which will later be apparent. The uppercentral part of the face plate 5 i is out out as indicated in Fig. 7 toprovide a pair of upwardly-extending legs [2E2 and i212 and a lowertransverse portion 12s that extends laterally across the headstock. Thislower portion E25 is provided with a thickened portion adapted. toreceive journals for a pair of roller shafts l 28 and 28 that arehorizontally parallel and for a drive shaft Hill centrally below theshafts 52-8 and M28.

The drive shaft Edd is provided with a plurality of speed-changingpulleys I32 and a driving gear i3 3. The gear its meshes with a gear I36on each of the shafts l and E28 so that these two shafts rotate the sameangular direction. The shafts his and E28 carry work-rotating rollersI38 and l id, respectively, for rotation therewith.

The headstock 24 also comprises a third roller rotatably carried by avertically adjustable, pressure-exerting member I M that in turn iscarried by and between the legs I20 and I22 of the headstock. To thisend, the pressure-exerting member comprises a slide member Mt verticallyslidably adjustable between the legs F20 and 522. The slide member [46comprises a cylinder 5 that receives a stem I50 slidable therein.Thebottom of the stem I50 receives a block in which a shaft 554 for theroller M2 is received.

vertical position of the slide member M6 determined by an adjustingscrew I56 that in urn is carried by parts secured to the legs 520 thescrew carried so that it is oly but not a.. lly movable. The stem I55shaped to provide a thin rod 35'? about which a conipi ssion spring 25?;is placed. The spring compressed between a shoulder in the stem and atop for the cylinder M8. The rod i5? has upper threaded end thatreceives By suitable adjustments through lock the nuts 5-32 screw it theamount of pressure which roilei El will exert on a workpiece in spacebetwen the triangularly-arranged canbe controlled. Prefhardened steeland have ct the workpieces finished.

l bets ed or conical in order to readily receive the workpiece.

The rollers provi e a roller set i and 142 of the headstock thatconstitutes WOXkin guide it and rotate them about the -al of workpieces.The feed-in e comprises, in addition to the elongated trough-shapedmember Gil, a short tube I!!! at the work exit end of the guide. Thetrough-shaped member 653 is shown in cross section in Fig. 5 and appearsin Fig. and has short removable cover parts ill that makes the guideappear as a tunnel--like member with a groove I12. As many removablecovers Ill can be provided for as much of: the length-portions of theguide 43, as desired, between the various items of the scanner machine.

The exit tube m1 of the feed-in guide l3 suitably feeds workpieces intothe space between the set or wo1'krotating rollers I38, Mil and 142 ofthe headstock 2c. The rollers are properly located so as tosatisfactorily guide workpieces into the heat-treater induction heatingand quenching means 25.

- induction heating and quenching heat-- i tel means 255 comprises ahead I13 having c ntral worlnrcceiving opening and including aninduction heating coil-portion I'M and a quench portion ITS fed withwater through a hose I80 and discharging this liquid through holes inits surfa e, as is known to the art. The head Elli carried on relativelyinsulated low-induct ance conductor plates 182 and to which the extendedends his and i88 oi the induction coil secured. The conductor plates I32and lit! are intimately secured to terminal blocks I96 and i552. Uprightinsulating posts le t and hit? extend from the terminal blocks to the ofthe head tit to help keep the head in position. The aforeinductionheating and quenching means in greater detail and claimed in the corncntly filed application of W. L. Corteggiano and J. lvil. Edwards,Serial No. 104,943, now abandomed, to which reference may be had forfurther ortant of on scanner machine use in the supporting of thisinduction heat ing and quenching heat-treater means 255 therein with theaxis of the head liii horizontal. To this end, the bedplate 2c isprovided with a central hole that receives a rectangular frame b ofinsulating material. A pair of opposed sides or" the face of thishorizontal frame adjust-- ably carries a pair of spaced energizingterminals and to which the terminal blocks Hill and of the heat-treaterunit 28 respectively The bottoms of terminals 2&2 and r 4 receiverelatively insulated conducand 263 therebelow. The conductor and aresufficiently broad respecely to receive relatively insulated low-inductcc power-supply conductors and 212 from 5 on .t of the high-currentsecondary of the ansfornier 6. to be acted that the induction heatingand quenching means 26 is of slightly less width than t in the frame2853, thereby providing i through which spent quench liquid can dr cmthe bedplate. To facilitate such drainage, the bedplate may additionallybe prowith a plurality of drain holes 2 l 6 wherever i, and with aliquid catching trough around its ed es that is provided with a suitablespout. each workpiece leaves the headstock it moves thr ugh the openingin the head I13 of the induction. heating and quenching hcat-treater"rst passing by the induction coil nor-- lie and then passing by thequench portion [is a workpiece leaves the heat-treater (31 Quill Zrising a set 22s of rollers in the tailstock 28 a unit. In general, thistailstoclr 28 is similar to the headstock 24 except that it has a largerbase 222 and its parts are in reverse order so that a workpiece firstengages a conical portion EEG of the set 220 of rollers, and enters atube 224 of a feed-out guide 2253 after leaving the rollers.

The feed-out guide 226 is constructed in the same way as is the feed-inguide 13. It comprises the entrance tube 224 and a V-trough bar member228 provided wherever necessary with a cover 23s to provide atunnel-like member in which workpieces slide without jammin The feed-outguide 22% is adjustably carried on one or more posts 232 secured to thebase plate 222.

The sets its and 223 of work-rotating rollers oi. the headstock 2 1 andtailstock 28 are rotated at any desired speed by a variable speedelectric motor 236 carried on the base plate 222. The motor 236 drives ashaft 238 journalled in suitable pillow blocks 260 on the base plates ofthe tailstock and headstock. The shaft 238 has gearing 2H for thetailstock, and 244 for the headstock. This gearing is belt-connected bybelts 2:56 and to the pulley sets I32 of the tail stock; and hea stock,respectively. The sets I64 and oi wo' r-rotating rollers are suitablyadjusted so that workpiece leaving the tube Ill] of the teed-in guide itwill rest on the lower rollers of each while in the desired horizontalline travel.

The tube rollers Mil support a workpiece as it is forced out of theguide [3 and into the roller-set it'll by the other workpieces in backof it which are driven forward by the der unit it. While supported androtated by the set its of rollers of the headstock, the workpiece passesthrough the heat-treatment means 26 and to the set of rollers of thetailstock 28. The workprce enters this set 226 of rollers, and istemporarily jointly supported and rotated by the sets of rollers i6 1and 220. When the work-- piece is pushed further through the head I13 oithe heat-treating means 25, it is supported by the rollers are of thetailstock, and finally the workpiece enters into the tube 224 of thefeed-out guide 226.

Preferably, the tube or the feed-in guide it and the tube 22d of thefeed-out guide 226 are oi a diameter only slightly larger than theworkpieces. For a workpiece one-half inch in diameter, a clearance often one-thousandths of an inch is ample to allow a workpiece to beforcibly rotated, without permitting jamming of the train by virtue othetendency of the adjacent workpiece to rotate because of frictionalengagement with the ends or" the rotated workpiece.

As is apparent from Figs. 1, 2 and 13, Workpieces moving along thefeed-out guide 226 pass by an elongated slot 250 in the cover 230 ofthis guide. A. circumferential portion of a tachometer wheel still liesin this slot with the plane of the wheel parallel to line of travel ofthe workpieces. wheel 2E2 bears very lightly on the moving workpieces Wand will revolve at a speed proportional to that at which the workpieces move linearly. The wheel consequently will drive an electricaldevice 254 at a correspond ing speed.

The feed-out guide 225 directs heat-treated workpieces leaving thetachometer wheel 252 into the receiving bin 36. However, it is to benoted that the cover member 230 of the guide 226 termina es short 0; theend of V-=trough bar 228 of the guide 22% so that an additional controlmember or wheel will be actuated by each workpiece as falls from orleaves the guide 226. This wheel operates on control switch 255.

Preferably, the sets of work-rotating rollers in the headstock andtailstock are arranged with their axes'about which they rotate parallelto the line of travel of the workpieces so that they impart only arotary motion to the workpieces. However, the upper pressure-exertingroller of each set of rollers can be skewed slightly if desired toimpart some forward motion to the workpieces. Whatever setup is used onthe headstock should be duplicated in the tailstock whose rollers takehold of theworkpiece before it leaves the headstock. In this way, theworkpiece is always centered in the head H3 of the heattreatment means26, and considerably greater tolerance is permissible in the adjustmentof the remaining parts of the equipment.

The distance between the roller sets I64 and 22,0 of the headstock andtailstock must be less than the lengths of the workpieces, andsufficiently less so that each workpiece can be prop- SiZlIy supported.as it passes from set Hi4 into set As an example of the positioning ofthe parts for heating cylindrical shifter rails having a length fromabout 4%; to 7 inches, the distance between the face of the head H3 andthe sets I64 and 220 of work-rotating rollers was 5 inch, 1 with a headhaving an axial overall length of two and one-half inches.

For obtaining suitable alignment of the parts, we recommend the use of aplurality of dummies or mandrels of of the workpieces to beheat-treated. The various items or parts of the scanner machine are ad-,iusted until the dummies or mandrels easily slide horizontally throughthe scanner machine without jamming. It may be necessary to slide a part:i

on the rail 32, and to insert shims between the base plate of a part andthe bedplate 2t for proper alignment before the part is bolted tothehedplate. By observation and measurement, adjustments can be madeuntil the dummies pass through the head N3 of the induction heating andquenching means 25 substantially concentric therewith as nearly aspracticable, and readily pass through the headstock and tailstock. Thus,in a manner of setting up the scanner machine, a dummy workpiece wasplaced in the feed-in guide #3 so that it extended through the end tubeH0. The guide [3 was raised or lowered by turning the jackscrew 46 ofthe feeder 24 until the dummy rested on and between rollers 38 and Hillof the headstock 24. The rollers were spun by hand for a check to seethat they rotated the dummy. The upper roller I42 was then lowered byturning screw 556 of the headstock until the upper roller M72 touchedthe F dummy. Only a slight pressure by the roller M2 was required toinsure a positive rotation. By spinning the lower rollers I38 and M0 afew times by hand While turning the nuts Hi2, one can readily adjust theset I64 of headstock rollers. With the dummy pushed into the head I73 ofthe heat-treatment means 26, it should be possible to see a concentriccircular ring of light between the outside diameter of the dummy and theinternal diameter of the coil I14. dummy is not centered in the coilI'M, the heattreatment unit 26 can be shifted, or the other partsreadjusted.

While we have described our invention in a preferred form thereof, it issubject to changes and the principles thereof can be embodied in otherforms.

We claim as our invention:

1. Heat-treating apparatus of a type described comprising, incombination, induction heating a diameter corresponding to that the twowork-rotating If the and quenching heat-treatment means having a centralwork-receiving opening; a headstock and a tailstock at opposite ends ofsaid heat-treatment means and positioned closely adjacent but not incontact therewith, each comprising workrotating rollers; a feed-in guideextending to said headstock and having a horizontal rail means providinga tunnel-like arrangement adapted to slidably hold workpieces axiallyend to end, said tunnel-like arrangement guide being horizontal; saidheat-treatment means, headstock, tailstock and guide being arranged toprovide a substantially horizontal travel path for workpieces; and awork feeder associated with said feed-in guide and comprising a rollermeans for forcing workpieces end to end along said feed-in guide.

2. Apparatus of a type described for heattreating workpieces of rod-likeshape, comprising in combination, induction heating and quenchingheat-treatment means having a central work-receiving opening; aheadstock and a tailstock positioned at. opposite ends of said heat-.-treatment means with a spacing respectively therebetween which is but afraction of the axial length of said heat treatment means, eachcomprising work-rotating rollers; a feed-in guide extending to saidheadstock and adapted to hold workpieces axially end to end, saidfeed-in guide comprising a tubular member with its opening directed tothe feed-in end of said headstock; each of said rollers having an axiswhich is substantially parallel to said feed-in guide; and awork-supporting feed-out guide extending from the exit end of saidtailstock, the last said guide comprising a tubular member with itsopening directed to the said end of said tailstock.

3. An induction heating scanner machine com? prising, in combination, anelongated substantially horizontal bedplate, a work feeder unit carriedby said bedplate, said feeder unit comprising a lower guide comprising abar member having a V-trough extending in a direction parallel to thelengthwise direction of said bedplate, said feeder unit comprising anupper pressure roller means for forcing workpieces end to end along saidguide; a set of work-rotating rollers carried by said bedplate at theexit end of said guide, said rollers being arranged to receiveworkpieces horizontally from said guide, an induction heating andquenching means, the last said means comprising an induction coil havinga horizontal axis collinear with the travelpath of workpieces passingthrough the last said rollers, said bedplate carrying a pair ofrelatively insulated terminals, conductor plates secured to saidterminals and to ends of said coil, said plates carrying said coil, anda tailstock carried by said bedplate and comprising a set ofworkrotating rollers positioned at the work-outlet end of said inductionheating and quenching means and spaced therefrom a distance less thanthe combined axial length of said induction heating and quenching means,said set of rollers being arranged. to receive workpieces leaving saidinduction heating and quenching means.

4. An induction heating scanner machine comprising a horizontalelongated bedplate, a feeder item carried by said bedplate, a distinctheadstock means carried by said bedplate next to said feeder item, ahorizontal feed-in guide carried by said feeder item, said headstockcomprising a work-rotating means at the exit end of said guide, aninduction heating and quenching means carried by said bedplate, saidinduction heating and quenching means comprising an induction coil andhaving a horizontal central opening arranged to receive workpieces fromsaid headstock means, a distinct tailstock means carried by saidbedplate arranged to receive Work from said induction heating andquenching means, said tailstock means comprising Workrotating means anda horizontal ieedout guide, said Work-rotating means of said headstockmeans and tailstock means being close to but spaced from the ends ofsaid induction heating and quenching means by respective distances lessthan the total axial length of said induction heating and quenchingmeans.

5. An induction heating scanner machine comprising an elongatedbedplate, a feeder item carried by said bedplate, said feeder itemcompris ing Work-pusher means, a distinct headstock means carried bysaid bedplate next to said feeder item, and comprising Work-rotatingmeans, a feed-in guide extending from the feed in end of feeder unit tosaid Work-rotating means, an induction heating and quenching means, saidinduction heating and quenching unit comprising an induction coil andhaving a central Work-treating space arranged to receive workpieces fromsaid Work-rotating means, a distinct tailstock means carried by saidbedplate arranged to receive Work from said induction heating andquenching unit, said tailstcck means comprising Work-rotating andsupporting means, a feed-out guide, said work-rotating means of saidheadstock means and tailstock means being close to but spaced from theends of said in duction heating and quenching unit by a distance lessthan the total axial length of the latter said unit, said bedplatecarrying a pair of relatively insulated terminals between said headstockmeans and tailstock means, said in duction heating coil having ends,conductor plates receiving said ends, said conductor plates beingconnected to said terminals and supporting said induction heating andquenching unit. 6. An induction heating scanner comprisingwork-supporting means comprising a guide member having a V-shaped troughand a tube at the end of said trough, said tube having an axis, aplurality of work-rotating rollers at the end of said tube, saidWork-rotating rollers being arranged to provide a work-receiving spacehaving an. axis, an induction heating coil having an axis, said axesbeing substantially par allel, each of said rollers having an axis whichis substantially parallel to the axis of said heating coil and saidrollers being axially spaced from said coil a distance less than theaxial length of the coil.

WILLIAM L. CORTEGGIANO.

THEODORE P.

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